ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf Tuesday said that Pakistan always attached great importance to its time-tested relationship with China and Pakistan-China friendship was an integral part of Pakistan’s foreign policy.

The prime minister was talking to Ambassador designate to China, Masood Khalid, who called on him at PM’s House.The prime minister, while expressing satisfaction over present trade relations with China, directed the ambassador designate to work for further expansion in trade between the two countries.

He underlined the need to transform the friendship between the two countries into strong business partnership. “We are proud of our excellent relations with China, with which we have a strategic partnership. Our cooperation with China on regional and international levels is exemplary”, he added.

He emphasised that the friendly ties between the two countries were backed by social, economic and cultural cooperation in the fields of infrastructure, energy, agriculture, education and health.